Information Technology, M.S.

The Master of Science in Information Technology degree is a 30-credit program of graduate study for professional development. It is intended for:

Persons holding bachelor’s degrees in computer science or a related field who will enter the program at an advanced level; and

Persons holding bachelor’s degrees in a discipline other than computer or information science who are seeking preparation for careers in these fields.

The program is open to qualified applicants to the Graduate School. It is designed to enable students with varying entering levels of competency to meet their individual educational needs.

The program is intended for people who will be managing or integrating information technology in a variety of environments. The objective is to provide the concepts, framework and techniques needed to optimize the use of information technology resources within these environments.

Application Requirements

Students applying to the Information Technology program must submit all official transcripts and a résumé/CV that provides educational and professional experience with specific information about mathematics background, programming background, if any, and technical skills must be submitted. Applicants should also provide a statement of purpose indicating their motivation for choosing the program and the goals they hope to achieve through completing it.

Program Requirements

Prerequisite Courses

The Master of Science in Information Technology requires completion of prerequisite courses designed to provide the appropriate background knowledge. Students with undergraduate degrees in computer science or a related field may apply for exemptions from some or all of these prerequisite courses. The prerequisite courses are:

Electives

The remaining courses used to complete the student’s program are elective courses that are selected in consultation with the adviser. At least two courses must be selected from courses with an IT prefix. Other elective courses are selected freely from the department’s computer science and information technology offerings.

Program Options

There are two options for the program. The first requires that the student complete 30 credits of graduate coursework beyond the prerequisite courses. The second requires that the student complete at least 24 credits of graduate coursework beyond the prerequisite courses, plus complete 6 credits of one of the following: thesis or fieldwork project. Students must get permission from the department and their adviser before enrolling in any of these 6-credit options.

Through an integration of the liberal arts and the professions, Hood College provides an education that empowers students to use their hearts, minds and hands to meet personal, professional and global challenges and to lead purposeful lives of responsibility, leadership, service and civic engagement.